front&center Claire Gehrki

Former teacher finds life lessons in knitting

By Elizabeth Pannell

LITTLE ROCK — Blankets, mittens, socks and hats - Claire Gehrki knits them all for those in need.

The Arkadelphia resident and former Henderson State University English professor has knitted all her life, and after visiting a yarn shop in Little Rock, she decided to venture out on her own and open one in Arkadelphia.

“I saw those ladies in that shop and they were different ages,” Gehrki said. “All sitting together knitting, and they were having a good time.”

Gehrki began doing extensive research on the Internet and discovered “thousands of opportunities to help those in need.”

After help from her friends, which included getting a building, Gehrki opened Knit Unto Others at 323 Main St.

“It took about nine months to open the shop,” Gehrki said. “Now we have been open for a year and I have learned so much.”

Gehrki said she has learned about everything from national needlework organizations to fiber sources to fair trade materials.

“My main goal is be a charitable retail shop,” Gehrki said.

To fulfill her goal, Gehrki has participated in several knitting projects to benefit sick children and the elderly. She’s also gotten the Arkadelphia community involved.

“I have always believed that everyone is called to serve in some small way,” Gehrki said. “Everyonecan’t solve world hunger or cure AIDS in Africa, but anyone can make a hat or blankie for a child. I hope I can give folks that opportunity, and they can discover an enjoyable hobby, too.”

The main knitting project she is working on now is Knitting for Noggins. The statewide project provides hats to children and their families who are staying at Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

“Everyone loves to support Children’s Hospital,” Gehrki said. “Last year the state knitted 30,000 hats; we knitted over 100 hats last year. This year we have more than 125 hats so far.”

The project started Oct. 1 and will end Saturday, Nov. 8, with the Arkansas Children’s Hospital Knitting for Noggins Celebration. Gehrki said anyone can participate by just bringing in a knitted hat and following a few rules. The hats need to be approximately the size of an average cantaloupe or larger. All needlework items must be made out of new material, not recycled items. The hats need to be free of any odor or pet hair and for privacy reasons a name or personal information should not be attached.

“It takes about five or six hours to knit a hat, straight through,” Gehrki said. “But the children and their families are so grateful.”

Another project Gehrki works on is Project Linus. The national organization is based on the Peanuts character who always had his blanket.

“The project provides love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriouslyill, traumatized or otherwise in need through the gift of new, handmade blankets and afghans,” Gehrki said. “We distribute the ones we make to children in our local hospitals, shelters and social service agencies. This is a personal favorite of mine.”

Gehrki has not always been so involved in knitting. She attended Rhodes College where she met her husband, Gary. Later she attended Emory for her graduate work and moved to Little Rock after marriage.

“I taught high school while my husband was in medical school,” Gehrki said. “We moved to Arkadelphia when he finished his residency, and we immediately put down deep roots. Now we live in a nearly 100 -year-old home near the Ouachita River.”

She began teaching at Henderson “on a whim” when her youngest child was a baby.

“I agreed to teach a freshmen English class when Henderson had one class that did not have a teacher, then I just never left,” Gehrki said. “I continued to teach as an adjunct, always teaching freshmen writing classes. I loved the Henderson community and my time in the classroom, but I graded papers very slowly, and I began to feel very weary of marking stacks of essays.”

Knitting is an outlet for her in many ways.

Gehrki also participates in local projects that help during times of death, illness and celebration.

“Prayer shawl groups can be found in churches everywhere,” Gehrki said. “Several ladies get together and knit a shawl for someone who is ill or had a death in the family. The shawl can also be a sign of love or celebration. While they are knitting the shawl they are supposed to think of the person the shawl is for.”

Gehrki also helps local children in foster care by knitting scarves.

“Through help from the local CASA office we knitted 25-28 scarves last year for the children in foster care,” Gehrki said. “This is something we will continue to do, because I think the scarves are like a warm hug for the children in need.”

Many of the women who help with Gehrki’s community projects meet twice a week to learn new techniques and to enjoy the fellowship. Gehrki does not charge anything to teach beginners to knit.”

“Anyone can drop in anytime and I will teach them the basics,” Gehrki said. “It doesn’t take long and then many people will teach themselves after that.”

Gehrki does charge forclasses with more advanced techniques. She decides on classes according to the availability of the teachers and the type of classes that people are most interested in.

As another service Gehrki sells fair trade products in her store. She said about 30 percent of her yarn is fair trade.

“Fair-trade products guarantee that the people who made the product were given fair wages and treatment while making the product,” Gehrki said. “The items were not made by children in sweat shops.”

Gehrki said women, many times who are single mothers,in countries such as Kenya depend on these types of jobs to provide their children with food, education and shelter.

Gehrki also sells products that are made from recycled materials.

“We don’t carr y more of these type products because they are more expensive,” Gehrki said.

Gehrki said knitting is “not your little-old-lady hobby anymore.” The hobby has grown and Gehrki said everyone from teenagers to college students are knitting.

“There are so many online activities, patterns and blogsthat has helped knitting become a cross generational, cross racial and cross economic hobby,” Gehrki said. “I will do anything I can to introduce people to this warm, knitting community.”

Ronnie Granade has been a knitter since she was 12 and frequents Knit Unto Others and assists Gehrki with her community projects.

“Claire’s shop has brought to our community something that was lacking, a place for women to gather who like to use their creative juices to help out mankind,” Granade said. “It is a place to gather, sit among the color and texture of yarn, swap stories about working on a special project and learn new techniques. We thank God for Claire and her mission to open this shop.” - epannell@ arkansasonline.commatter of fact Birth date: April 29, 1954 Birthplace: Birmingham, Ala.

Family: My husband, Gary; my children, Julie, Paul and Katie;

my mom; my brother and his family.

Hobbies: Besides knitting, I love reading along with my book

club and Bible study group, walking and hiking with my ultra

runner husband (when I can keep up) and spending time with

family and friends.

My name comes from: My mother and grandmother.

Three words that describe me: Optimistic, scatterbrained,

content I cannot live without: Friday pizza night with my husband.

Latest trend in knitting: “Green” recycled and organic fibers

and socks, socks, socks!

Favorite memory: Every Christmas memory since my

childhood blends into one: Our family selects and struggles

to raise, tie, and decorate our bigger-than-last-year fresh-cut

tree.

Most people don’t know I’m: One heck of a jack-o’-lantern

carver. My dad had a carving ritual, which I follow every year.

Jack must have pointy, Vulcan-like ears.

The world would be a better place if: Everyone knitted, of

course - beat their swords into knitting needles!

The most unusual thing I ever knitted: Was supposed to be

my first sock. It wasn’t a sock!

The biggest challenge to knitters: Their yarn addiction. All

true knitters have a hidden stash.

Goals for the future: I hope to improve my own knitting skills

and continue to convert others to the craft.

Tri-Lakes, Pages 128, 130 on 10/26/2008